LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLIV, Issue XLIV, 7 May 1924, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Potatoes on trucks South are being quoted at £5 5s per ton.

According to Southern reports, there is very little jowl wheat otferiiig, and poultrykeepers are oniy obtaining small consignments.

Mr Oscar Asche, the famous AngloAustralian a:tor, has invented a j cooker, and has taken out the patent ' rights. He hopes to make more money by his invention than he has earned even by his acting.

A woman with five children entered a Wellington tranxcar. She husied her- ; self seating them. A benevolent old j gentleman rose and gave Iher his seat. I "Are those all your children, madam?" , he asked, "or is it a picnic?" "They are all mine," snapped the woman, and it's no picnic/ 3 j

"Postcard Week" will be held in New Zealand during the week ending May 24 next. This would afford those forwarding postcards to England ample time to catch the 'Frisco mail, which would arrive in plenty of time for propaganda purposes in' connection .with, the New Zealand Court at the Emjsre Exhibition.

The acquisition of 60 acres of land at Stratford for workers' dwellings %y the Railway Department is taken to indicate that the emergence of Stratford as a railway junction of the first •grade is not so distant a, date as was thought probable by the less optimistically inclined. Either that, or the department's vision is telescopic — Herald.

In connection with the Patea Meat Works, the Mayor (Mr. L. A. Bone) states that he and Mr j. B. Murdoch have arranged for a meeting to be held in the Oddfellows' Hall on Friday May 16, subject to Mr. Christensen being able to attend.

The total number of motor cars trucks, etc., imported into New Zeal land during the first two months of the year was 3770, of a total value of £628,645. Of the above number only 189 were imported from the United Kingdom at a cost of £86,532, while 2728 were from Canada at a total cost of £357,904.

! A- special meeting of the Hawera Technical High School Board was held last night to discuss matters arising out of the present- position in regard to the allocation by the Taranaki Education Board of £1325 of capitation money earned by the Hawera Technical High School. Discussion was taken in committee, after which Mr. J, W. Harding's motion that the Education Board be asked to receive a deputation of as many members as possible ,on the evening of Tuesday, May 13 or on a subsequent date to be arranged, seconded by Mr. Entwistle, was carried!

"It's an ill wind that blows nobody good. The railway strike has made me Jeee something o f New Zealand," said General BrainVell Booth to a Dominion reporter. "What a wonderful country you have! There is not a yard of it but which could be cultivated. What a contrast to the crowded countries I ,-iave seen, where people are clambering over each other like sheep in an overCrowded yard. Do you know what the , world- wants to-day ? It wants government. Not a general, but a boss, who would relieve the miseries of congested areas by saying to the people: 'You go j here and .yoa go there.' ". { "My main impression of Auckland so far is that it s future is in front of it, and that Auckland is reaching out strongly to realise that future," said Captain "Gipsy" Pat Smith, the evangelist, speaking of the city as vhe had seen it since his arrival on Monday. "Even the wonder city of America, Los Angeles, does not possess so progressive a spirit. And in San Francisco people ar© inclined to look more at the past— the glories of the old gold-digging days i —than into the future. Nor in extensive travels have I been ia a city where visible signs of progress can be so readily indicated. I marvel when I am , told 'there was no street here two years ago,' *this magnificent building was not started a year ago,' and so on. You are making great advances, and have a wonderfully beautiful setting in which to make a great city."

The first of a series of dances to be given by the Women's National Reserve was held in the Foresters' Hall last Friday evening. Upwards of 100 couples accepted the invitations sent out by the dance committee. Last year all the dances given by the W.N.R. were most successful, and the members of the Reserve are to be congratulated on their first effort of the present season. The hall, which was prettily decorated with hanging baskets of ferns and the bright dresse s of the ladies made quite a festive scene. The supper was as usual all that could be desired, and the musicians—Messrs Macdonald (piano). R. Johnson (violin), and H. Wills (cornet) —added greatly to the enjoyment of the dancers. Needless to say the profits of the dance go to the Reserve funds, and are used to help on the good works for which the National Reserve are so well known.

At yesterday's meeting of the Inglewood County Council the chairman (Mr. A. Corkill) intimated that he would be resigning his position at the annual meeting of the council to be held this month. In making the announcement Mr. Corkill said that it was now about twenty-two years since he first entered into local politics. He had been chairman of the county council since its inception, and they had had a good many difficulties to contend with, necessitating the sacrifice of considerable time. As most of the difficulties had now been overcome and the policy of the council had been definitely established, particularly in regard to road construction, the council work should be plain sailing in the future. During the past seven years lie had not been outside the district except on local bodies' affairs, and after his years of service he thought the time had arrived when he should take a spell from local politics so as to enable him to devote a little more time to Ins own private affairs, which to some extent had been neglected. He had, therefore, decided to tender his resignation after the annual meeting, and in fairness to the council thought that he should make his intentions known at this stage.—News. ■

The Patea brick works, former!, owned by Mr Lockhart, have- been taken over by Messrs F. Wilson and Co., Waxi£anui.

There are 18,241,477 motor cars and trucks in use in the world. The United States of America leads easily with a total of 15,222,658. The United Kingdom comes second with a total of 655,818. New Zealand is twelfth on the list with a total of 44,864.

Regulations gazetted tinder the Census and Statistics Act, 1910, provide that, in addition to the particulars already required by the Act, the Government Statistician shall collect statistics of the loan transactions of the governing bodies of counties, boroughs, town districts, road districts, river districts, land drainage districts, water supply districts, city : and suburban drainage districts, tramway districts, local railway districts, electric power districts, lighting districts, and harbour districts.

A jg^irl, .aged 29 years, was. before the \vanganui Court yesterday morning charged with the theft of a frock valued at £4 4s, .tlie nroperty of the p.opvietress of the Royal Willows, on iviay 1. Constable lioger Wilson said when interviewed the accused admitted having stolen the frock., and handed it over. I n& statement the accused said she was short of. clothes* and that was why she took the dress.. She had been oat of work for about three months. Accused pleaded guiltj, Mr Hussey, for accused, said that she was suffering from heart trouble and was net in good circumstances. It was her first offence. The magistrate said that this was a case for probation and one in which publication of the name should be, suppressed. The term of probation should be 12 months.

"It seems to. me there can be no doubt but that the high rent has cooked the whole show," said the official assignee (Mr S. Tansley) in Wellington on Tuesday at a meeting of creditors of Walter Herbert Beddell, a Wellington tobacconist (reports the Dominion). ''The books have been satisfactorily kept," he continued, "and are perfectly straightforward to anyone who cares to examine them. Bankrupt's turnover was nearly £5000 a year, and even with a profit of 30 per cent., instead of 15 per cent, or 17 per cent., his business, with the high rent, could scarcely be made to pay. Bankrupt's liabilities were £1899 6s 4d, and his assets £1102 9s 4d, leaving a deficiency of £796 17s.

Sir Arthur Myers, writing from Britain to a'" friend in Auckland, said in a letter received recently: "I trust Gordon Coates will realise the expectations of his many friends. From my knowledge of him and from what I read about his doings I certainly think he will do so. As I have often remarked to you my own regret was that I did not continue to occupy the position of Minister of Railways for a period of three years, as I feel satisfied that by introducing business methods into railway administration we could have had not only a really competent service, but also satisfactory results in dealing with the various problems that have to be solved in connection with a growing a»d progressive country. I am watching Coates' administration with the keenwishes for the success of his efforts." —(Observer).

With a view to raising funds for the erection of a new Catholic Church at Opunake a bazaar was opened at Opunake on Monday. Mr 0. Hawken, M.P., who officially opened the bazaar, congratulated the Catholic community for their endeavour in a worthy cause. The stalls were in charge of the following: Opunake, Mrs Edmonds; Oaonui, Mrs Jack Feaver; Pihamaj Mrs J. A. Stevenson. The supper room was presided over by Miss K. O'Brien. Those visiting the bazaar were entertained by the Opunake orchestra, and an opportunity was afforded to engage in community singing. A tug-of-war tournament commenced last evening, in which great interest was takea. Good work is being done by the Rev. Father Kennedy, assisted by Mr C. O. Edmonds and a band of willing workers. Electric light effects were arranged by Mr C. M. Crowley. The bazaar will continue till Saturday night, and raffles will be drawn as it proceeds.

Thje macroearpa, bluegum, and pinus insignis plantations in and around Waverley bear the appearance of a fire having swept through them. In discussing* the matter with*Mr Deem, manager of the Moumahaki State Farm, recently, a Chronicle reporter ascertained that blight was not the cause of the leaves withering and dying, as many people imagined. Mr Deem explained that the damage to the plantations was the result of salt spray being carried inland on the occasion of the recent storm experienced on this coast. However, gum blight had attacked the plantations in the Rangitikei district and south of Wanganui. Our informant stated that ladybirds had bee* employed to fight the blight, and had achieved a good deal of success, as he had noticed that some of the jjaras were again shooting. "Ladybirds," he said, were hrst employed in New Zealand in this direction about 30 years ago, when tree blight was doing a considerable amount of damage in the Canterbury province. At that time these insects were imported from Australia " Mr Deem pointed out that the Government had collected a number of ladybirds and having bred them, introduced them into the Rangitikei district In recent years more of these useful little blight fighters had been brought over rrom Australia. Ladybirds were not only useful for stamping out blight but did good work so far as other wood pests were concerned. It had bee-n round, he concluded, that insects were practically the only things that could deal successfully with wood pests

i General entries for the winter meeting of the Auckland Racing Club, to be held on June 3, 5 and 6, close at five I o'clock on Friday next, May 9. ) The scheme for harbour _ extensions and improvements at the port of New Plymouth was explained to members of ' the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce by the chairman of the Harbour Board aiir.C. E. Bellringer) last night. Mr I Bellrmger outlined the oroposals the board intended placing before the Rail- ! way Department in connection with the 1 n, d in the vicinity °f the wharves, Mr i BeUnnger stating that the board was I ?f- 1!" 0 jS of obtaining the views and i attltu£e of business men on the mat- | ter. rhe proceedings were not open to the press.—News. i On Monday a representative of the \ Opunake Times approached Mr HawKen, M.P., with a view to securing his co-operation in the establishing of a \ demonstration farm at Opunake It < was pointed out that the district, which % comprised a lot of poor land, had strong claims on Gover»ment assistance for such a farm. Mr Hawken stated that he was entirely in agreement with such a proposal, the advantages of which he fully realised. The Government, he said, was not buying farms for such purposes, but where an association or body of responsible trustees established such a farm, as at Stratford, the Government assisted financially to the ex- £?? ° £ 3°° a year forfirst three years. Atter that time this assistance was withdrawn and the farm carried on solely by the association or trustees. Ihe Government would, of course, give farmers the services of their instructors as in other centres, these men being specially qualified to give advice of a practical nature. Leasehold farms were being used for demonstration farms in some places, and such a farm might be had locally. "But," said Mr ? aW?, e\r i 1; must be in a handy Position Mr Hawken gave an assurance that he would be pleased to help such a proposal in every way.